I am a firm believer that you are never too old to learn. I am not a traditionalist. I question everything, including myself. I am not a perfect man, nor do I expect perfection from the people I know. However, I do expect people to be real. I love to laugh and to make people laugh. I have come to realize that the truth hurts, but in truth comes freedom. We all know it hurts to be free.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Call Your Mother: A Play

Last week I mentioned that I wrote a screenplay of sorts to transfer schools. Well I am dusting off this thing so it can see the light of day, otherwise no one will really read it. As I have done it the past, I have posted a story in which I wrote and I am once again doing it here. It will not take long to read. I wrote this when I was 19. Let me know what you think. Enjoy.

Call Your Mother

Philip………………….son of Carlos

Carlos…………………father of Philip

Elizabeth (Liz)………..girlfriend of Carlos, mother of Jason

Jason………………….Philip’s cousin

Julie…………………..Jason’s girlfriend

Sonia………………….mother of Philip

Based on a true story.

This is dedicated to my grandfather. Rest in Peace Abuelito

It is May of a given year. This story takes place in the Bronx. Philip has come home with his cousin Jason, from college. Carlos and Elizabeth await them. The door opens and Philip walks in. He is carrying a duffle bag and a suitcase. He puts down both bags as soon as he walks in

Philip: Honey, I’m home! (with a smile on his face)

Carlos: (walks towards him, with Liz, from the kitchen) Who are you callin’ honey, bitch?

Liz: Carlos! (she punches him, lightly, in the arm and he laughs)

Philip: (sarcastically) Gee, you’re a sight for sore eyes.

Carlos and Liz hug Philip

Carlos: God, we missed you. So where’s the rest of your stuff?

Philip: In Julie’s car.

Liz: (surprised) She brought you?

Carlos: I thought you were taking the bus? (he and Liz look out the window.)

Philip: Well, I was, but Julie decided to swing around this way to drop off me and Jay.

Carlos: (looks at Philip) “Swing Around?” She lives in Main.

Philip: Hey, a free ride is a free ride.

Jason: (walks in carrying a box) Hey!

Liz: Hi! (Jason puts down the box next to the bag. He hugs Liz and shakes Carlos’ hand)

Carlos: What’s up? (he looks towards Philip) Do you have more stuff?

Philip: Uhh…(looks at what has been brought in) yeah, two boxes and a bag (looks out the door). Here comes Julie with the bag now.

They walk outside toward the car.

Liz: (looks at Jason as if she was examining him for anything wrong or out of place) Well how was the ride?

Philip: It was okay.

Liz: Are you ok?

Jason: I am fine. (a little defensive) Why, is there something wrong with the way I look?

Liz: No, well except for being a little thinner, no. So how long are you staying?

Jason: (confused) What do you mean?

Liz: You know what I mean. When she leaves for Maine are you going with her?

Jason: (unsure) I don’t know.

Liz: (anxious) What do you mean, you don’t know?

Julie walks in carrying a suitcase.

Julie: Hello! (smiling and cheerful)

Liz: How are you? (they hug)

Julie: I’m good, you?

Liz: Great, everything’s great. (she looks at Jason)

Carlos walks in with a box. Then Philip walks in with another. They put the boxes down.

Carlos: Well, those were the last two.

Philip: (relieved) Thank God I put the rest of my stuff in storage.

Carlos: Do you need help taking these upstairs?

Philip: Nah, I got it.

Liz: (to Jason) So what are you going to do now?

Jason: I think we are going to go home and unpack my stuff.

Philip takes one suitcase and the duffle bag upstairs.

Carlos: I’m cooking if you want to eat here later.

Julie: Okay. (she smiles and looks at Jason)

Jason: I’ll see you later then. (he kissed Liz) Bye.

Liz: Bye, que dios te bendiga. Bye Julie.

Julie: Bye Liz, bye Carlos. (she waves)

Philip comes down the stairs.

Carlos: Okay, bye

Philip: Later, yo.

Jason: Later. (Julie waves to Philip)

Jason and Julie leave. They go to the car and drive off. Meanwhile, Philip picks up a box and goes upstairs.

Carlos: So what did he say? (closes the door)

Liz: He said, he did not know. (they begin to walk toward the kitchen)

Carlos: I think he does know, but doesn’t want to tell you. She can’t be alone without him.

Liz: Carlos…(she sits down)

Carlos: She comes all the way down from Syracuse, drops off Phil then drives Jason home. (he walk toward the stove)

Liz: What are you getting at?

Carlos: (opens a pot on the stove) What I am getting at is, (he picks up a spoon on the side an puts in the pot and begins to stir) that Maine is very far from here. She is going to stay in your house (puts the spoon down and covers the pot) for a week. Then she is going to leave with him. (he opens another pot)

Liz: I know, but what am I going to do about it?

Carlos: Good Question. (recovers pot) If it were up to me, I would call him up and tell him to send the white bitch home.

Fade out.

Fade in. Kitchen. Two Hours later. Carlos calls Philip for dinner.

Philip: (walks in) What’s for dinner?

Carlos: Dog Food. (he is putting food on a plate)

Philip: Really? Can’t be any worse than the dining halls.

Liz: Were you on the phone?

Philip: Yup.

Liz: Did Jason call?

Philip: Nope. (sits down)

Carlos: Who were you on the phone with? (puts the plate of food in front of Philip)

Philip: Mike. (picks up a fork and starts eating)

Carlos: So you didn’t call your mother? (walks to the cabinet and takes out another plate)

Philip: No…why, should I?

Liz: Yes you should. One day, ‘God forbid’, something may happen to your mother or someone in your family, you are going to regret that you did not call and reconcile. Now, are you going to call her? (Carlos puts food on a plate and gives it to Liz)

Philip: Maybe, if I feel like it.

Liz: That’s a nice attitude. (she sits down)

Carlos: I wonder where he gets it from. (Carlos gets another plate from the cabinet. He puts food on the plate.)

Liz: Heh, I wonder. (she looks at Carlos and smiles)

Carlos: (puts all the covers on the pots, takes his plate and sits down) How’s the food?

Philip: Its pretty good for Dog chow. (Liz laughs)

Carlos: (Sarcastically) I’m glad you like it. (Serious) Look…you don’t have to call your mother if you don’t want to. If she wants to talk to or see you, she should call you.

Liz: (shakes her head) That’s not right. You should call you mother to show her that you are the better person than she is.

Carlos: NO! (slams his fist on the table) She has not done shit for him. I’m the one paying for his tuition. (to Philip) She is the one who disowned you remember?

Philip: (reluctantly) Yeah, I remember.

Carlos: (calmer) Look, do what you want, she is your mother. You know how I feel.

The phone rings.
Carlos gets up and answers it.

Carlos: Hello. (looks at Liz) It’s your son. (Liz gets up and he give her the phone)

Liz: I thought you were coming over?

Jason: We changed our minds.

Liz: Really? You changed your mind.

Jason: Yeah, we went out to eat.

Liz: (annoyed) Oh, and you are telling me now?

Jason: It was a last minute decision.

Liz: A decision on whose part? Yours? Or hers?

Jason: (shocked) I can’t believe you just asked me that.

Liz: And I can’t believe you went out without telling me!

Jason: Without telling you? I am 19 years old and I have to tell you where I am?

Liz: Yes. It is your first day back and I wanted to see you. But, instead, your spend time with a woman who had been with you since you were a freshman! You are very ungrateful and inconsiderate! (raising her voice) I am your mother and I come first! (Philip looks at Liz and begins to think)

Jason: (upset) Fine, she is leaving tomorrow anyway. I will be with you all summer.

Liz: Oh, is that right? Where is she now?

Jason: In the shower.

Liz: We will discuss this later. Goodbye.

Jason: Yeah, Goodbye. (she hangs up)

Carlos: What happened?

Liz: (upset) He went out to eat with Julie. Then he said that she is leaving tomorrow and that he has all summer to spend with me. (Philip gets up)
Carlos: Where you going?

Philip: (distraught) I need time to think.

Fade out.

Fade in. One Hour Later. Philip calls his mother from the phone in his room.

Philip: (Nervous) Hello.

Sonia: (Surprised) Well, Hello.

Philip: (After an uncomfortable silence) Look, I was wondering if you could give me abuelito’s nursing home address.

Sonia: (sounds as if she has been crying) I wish I could.

Philip: What do you mean? (after a pause) Oh no….!

Sonia: Yes, He passed away this morning.

Philip: (crying) N-no! That is not fair, I was going to see him tomorrow. Oh my god, nooo.

Sonia: It’s your fault he died.

Philip: (shocked) What???

Sonia: Yes…and you know it is. If you had just visited him once, he would not have felt neglected; maybe he would still be alive.

Philip: NOOO! How can you say that? (Carlos comes running into the room as Philip slams the phone down)

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Who Am I?

I was once on a journey to self redemption and now I am on that path to
reclaiming my life. I believe that there is a lesson behind every
challenge life brings me.
I am also a champion for Afro-Latinos. It has become my duty to point
out the injustices of prejudice whenever I can.

Latinos are a conglomeration of all races. There are people who have
issues comprehending that concept when it comes to social identity. They
want to point to a solid color or specific ancestry to proclaim a sense
of self worth because it is hard to swallow that we are a people born
from a history of rape and enslavement.